Wanaka’s first paid public car park, recently installed on Dungarvon Street, marks another small ‘first’ for the town. 

A public car park, facilitated by ParkMate, has appeared at 8 Dungarvon Street, just behind Bridgeman Green adjacent to Patagonia Chocolates and Lake Bar.

The car park is facilitated by ParkMate, a smartphone app that allows people to pay for parking via their cell phones. Its clients include businesses and local councils.

It differs to other paid parking in the CBD - like the one next to the Masonic Lodge on Dunmore Street - as it facilitates one-off use of the car park rather than a long-term arrangement.

The site used to house two quintessential Kiwi baches, which were torn down last year. 

The site used to house two Kiwi baches - which were the last remaining residential dwellings in the CBD - until they were demolished last year following the site’s sale in 2018.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) confirmed the car park was not council owned or run.

“The owners do not have a consent for the activity, although the commercial activity itself does not require one in this zone,” a QLDC representative said. 

The car park is facilitated by ParkMate.

ParkMate did not respond to a request for information on pricing at the Dungarvon Street site. 

So far, the car park appears to have remained mostly empty. 

Information from Propertyvalue indicates the site was last sold in March 2018 for $2.75M.

The land is zoned for multiple uses including commercial (retail/office), higher-density residential and visitor accommodation.

PHOTOS: Wanaka App